COMPOSITAE — THISTLE FAMILY — FLEABANE 779 



may be injurious because the leaves are very bitter and cause much dust. The 

 other species are very abundant in meadows in central Mississippi Valley states, 

 and are regarded with much disfavor. 



15. Rudbeckia L. Cone-flowers 



Annual, biennial or perennial herbs, usually rough or rarely smooth, with 

 alternate leaves ; flowers in terminal clusters : involucre hemispherical ; bracts 

 imbricated in 2-4 series; scales leaf-like, in 2 rows, spreading; receptacle conical 

 or columnar with chaffy scales ; ray flowers neutral ; disk flowers perfect, fer- 

 tile; achenes 4-angled, obtuse or truncate at the apex; pappus wanting or a 

 minute crown. 



A small genus of some 30 species in North America and Mexico. Several 

 species are common in cultivation. 



Rudbeckia hirta L. Cone-flower. Nigger-head 



A rough, bristly, hairy biennial from l-2y^ feet high with stems simple or 

 branched near the base, bearing a long pedunculate head ; leaves nearly entire, 

 the upper sessile, oblong or lanceolate, the lower petioled and spatulate; heads 

 many-flowered, radiate, the rays about 14, neutral ; receptacle columnar or con- 

 ical ; chaff hairy at tip, acutish ; ray flowers yellow, disk dull brown ; achenes 

 four-angled; pappus none. 



Distribution. Common in dry soils and on the prairies and meadows in 

 the northern Mississippi Valley, also a common weed in meadows in the eastern 

 states. Introduced largely with clover seed. 



Rudbeckia laciniata L. Golden Glow or Tall Cone-flower. 



A tall branching smooth perennial ; leaves thin, minutely pubescent ; the 

 upper leaves irregular ; ray flowers yellow ; disk flowers dull greenish ; bracts 

 of the involucre unequal ; pappus a short crown. Improved forms of this 

 species are cultivated under the name of golden glow. 



Distribution. From Canada to Florida, Kentucky, Kansas and New Mexico 

 to Manitoba and Montana. 



Rudbeckia occidentalis Nutt. Western Cone-flower 



Nearly glabrous and smooth, or somewhat scabrous-puberulent ; leaves un- 

 divided, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, entire or irregularly and sparingly 

 dentate, 4-8 inches long; upper sessile by a rounded or subcordate base; lower 

 abruptly contracted into a short winged petiole, rarely a pair of obscure lateral 

 lobes; disk in age becoming l^/S inches long, and achenes 2 lines long. 



Distribution. Common in the Rocky Mountains from Utah, Wyoming and 

 Idaho. 



Poisonous properties. Dr. Schaffner states that the R. laciniata is poison- 

 ous to sheep. It is eaten by cattle. The R. occidentalis is eaten by sheep but 

 not relished. May be suspicious. A correspondent in Kansas and one in 

 Iowa state that the plant is poisonous to cattle. 



16. Bidens L. Bur Marigold or Beggar-ticks 



Annual or perennial herbs with opposite leaves or the upper alternate ; in- 

 volucre double, campanulate, the outer scales commonly f oliaceous ; heads many- 

 flowered ; receptacle chaffy ; rays present or absent ; when present, neutral, in 

 our species yellow; disk flowers perfect, fertile; achenes flattened or 4-sided; 

 pappus of 2-6 teeth, upwardly or downwardly barbed. 



